Minu, Debnath get jail terms
Monday, 27 August 2007
Rajshahi Mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu and his 10 associates were Sunday jailed for 13 years and one month in an extortion case and detained Awami Swechhasebak League general secretary Pankaj Debnath was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment and his wife to six years in a graft case, report agencies.
The Rajshahi District and Sessions Judge (3rd) Court also fined Minu and other convicts Tk 20,000 each. In default, they have to suffer five months more in jail as simple imprisonment.
The other convicts are city BNP vice-president Nazrul Huda, City BNP general secretary Shafiqul Haq Milon (absconding), and local BNP leaders Sentu, Mainul, Babu, Ranju, Shamsul, Ashraf, Mamun and Islam.
According to prosecution, the convicts at the behest of the Mayor demanded Tk 0.4 million in toll from Shamsul Islam, a managing-committee member of Evergreen Model School and College in the city, on March 03 this year. He filed a case against them on April 21 with Rajpara thana.
Minu, also a former BNP MP, was arrested by joint forces on June 01 and sent to jail on a three-month detention.
After examining records and witnesses Judge Abu Saleh Sheikh Md Zahirul Haq handed down the verdict at about 12.45pm.
Ten of the convicts, including the Mayor, were in the dock during the delivery of the verdict in a jam-packed court.
Additional PP Mamun Ahmed Tipu stood for the state while Advocate Ashraful Ali, Advocate Qamrul Monir, Advocate Mizanul Islam and Advocate Ankur Sen for the defendants.
The Mayor has been sued in another case for patronising militants in the district. A number of other top leaders of the immediate-past ruling party, including ex-telephone minister Aminul Haq, are also facing the charge of patronising the JMB operatives.
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court Sunday jailed Awami Swechhasebak League general secretary Pankaj Debnath for 13 years for illegal income and suppressing details about income and assets.
He faces one more year in prison if he fails to pay Tk 1.0 million fine the court slapped on him.
Judge Md Feroz Alam of the Special Judge's Court-1 in the verdict delivered midday also sentenced Pankaj's wife Monica Debnath to six years in jail and fined her Tk 0.2 million for aiding and abetting her husband.
Monica, a fugitive from justice, has to suffer another six months in prison if she fails to pay the fine. The conviction comes in force from the day she is arrested or surrenders.
Anticorruption Commission (ACC) assistant director Abdul Latif filed a case with Dhanmondi Police Station on March 22 accusing Pankaj and Monica of providing false information in the statement of moveable and immoveable property to the ACC and earning wealth beyond the known source of income.
Pankaj was given 10 years' imprisonment and fined Tk 1.0 million for earning illegal wealth. He was handed down another three years' jail term for hiding information about wealth.
Monica was given three years for helping her husband and another three years for suppressing information about wealth.
However, since the two terms would run simultaneously she would have to stay behind bars for three years.
According to proceedings of the case, Pankaj was found to have earned wealth worth Tk 6.5 million, including Tk 3.2 million FDR, beyond his declared wealth.
The Rajshahi District and Sessions Judge (3rd) Court also fined Minu and other convicts Tk 20,000 each. In default, they have to suffer five months more in jail as simple imprisonment.
The other convicts are city BNP vice-president Nazrul Huda, City BNP general secretary Shafiqul Haq Milon (absconding), and local BNP leaders Sentu, Mainul, Babu, Ranju, Shamsul, Ashraf, Mamun and Islam.
According to prosecution, the convicts at the behest of the Mayor demanded Tk 0.4 million in toll from Shamsul Islam, a managing-committee member of Evergreen Model School and College in the city, on March 03 this year. He filed a case against them on April 21 with Rajpara thana.
Minu, also a former BNP MP, was arrested by joint forces on June 01 and sent to jail on a three-month detention.
After examining records and witnesses Judge Abu Saleh Sheikh Md Zahirul Haq handed down the verdict at about 12.45pm.
Ten of the convicts, including the Mayor, were in the dock during the delivery of the verdict in a jam-packed court.
Additional PP Mamun Ahmed Tipu stood for the state while Advocate Ashraful Ali, Advocate Qamrul Monir, Advocate Mizanul Islam and Advocate Ankur Sen for the defendants.
The Mayor has been sued in another case for patronising militants in the district. A number of other top leaders of the immediate-past ruling party, including ex-telephone minister Aminul Haq, are also facing the charge of patronising the JMB operatives.
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court Sunday jailed Awami Swechhasebak League general secretary Pankaj Debnath for 13 years for illegal income and suppressing details about income and assets.
He faces one more year in prison if he fails to pay Tk 1.0 million fine the court slapped on him.
Judge Md Feroz Alam of the Special Judge's Court-1 in the verdict delivered midday also sentenced Pankaj's wife Monica Debnath to six years in jail and fined her Tk 0.2 million for aiding and abetting her husband.
Monica, a fugitive from justice, has to suffer another six months in prison if she fails to pay the fine. The conviction comes in force from the day she is arrested or surrenders.
Anticorruption Commission (ACC) assistant director Abdul Latif filed a case with Dhanmondi Police Station on March 22 accusing Pankaj and Monica of providing false information in the statement of moveable and immoveable property to the ACC and earning wealth beyond the known source of income.
Pankaj was given 10 years' imprisonment and fined Tk 1.0 million for earning illegal wealth. He was handed down another three years' jail term for hiding information about wealth.
Monica was given three years for helping her husband and another three years for suppressing information about wealth.
However, since the two terms would run simultaneously she would have to stay behind bars for three years.
According to proceedings of the case, Pankaj was found to have earned wealth worth Tk 6.5 million, including Tk 3.2 million FDR, beyond his declared wealth.